Pickleball Terms & Definitions | Complete Glossary of Terminology

If you've just started playing pickleball you may be confused by some of the funny terminology used in the sport. We've compiled a complete list o lingo used in pickleball - including terms use to describe the court, equipment, scoring and other slang you might hear while playing the game.

Pickleball Terms:

​Ace: A serve that is not returned by the opponent. Point is won on serve without being returned.

Drop Shot: A soft shot that clears the pickleball net and then falls short of the opposing players.

Drop Shot Volley: A type of volley shot done to take speed of the ball and return it short, near the net when opponents are positioned at the baseline. This shot is especially effective when initiated close to the non-volley line.

Drop Spin: A shot that is chopped or sliced to drop sharply after is crosses the net, this is an advanced pickleball shot. ​

Face: the broad surface of either side of the pickleball paddle used to strike the ball. ​

Falafel: "dead paddle" or a short shot due to hitting the pickleball ball with little or no power.

Fault: A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.

Flabjack: A midair pickleball shot that must bounce once before it can be hit during one of the first two shots of any point (the return of serve or return of the serve return). After third shot no bounce is necessary and can volley (hit in midair without bouncing). ​

Foot Fault: On the pickleball serve, at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck, breaking either of these rules is a serving foot fault. A Non-Volley Zone foot fault is when volleying a ball, the player steps in the Non-Volley Zone or steps on the line of the NVZ.

Follow Through: On the swing, the continuing forward motion (after the back swing) in the direction you want the pickleball to travel.

Forehand: Paddle stroke on the same side of the body as you are holding the paddle. A right handed player's forehand would start with their right hand behind them and follow-through across their body.

Game: A series of points played until one team has accumulated 11 points (winning by 2 points. Some pickle-ball tournaments play games to 15 or 21 points (win by 2).

Grip: The manner that you hold the paddle handle with your hand (i.e. continental grip) or the material that is wrapped around the paddle handle to protect it and provide cushioning.

Groundstroke: Hitting the ball after one bounce (compare to a volley which is hit midair).

Half-Volley: A ground stroke shot where the paddle contacts the ball immediately after it bounces from the court. The ball is still low before it has risen to it maximum bounce height.

Head: Part of the pickleball paddle above the handle that includes the paddle face (hitting surface and paddle edge). ​

Hinder: Any element that interferes with play or an occurrence that affects play.

Kitchen: Slang term for the Non-Volley Zone.​

Junior: Player between the ages of 7 and 19. USAPA Juniors was created in 2016 to support these younger players.

Let: A serve that hits the net cord and lands in the service court. Let serves are replayed, just as in Tennis.

Line Calls: Verbal indication said out loud indicating if the ball bounced inbounds or out of bounds. Normally players call the in/out on their side and opposing team makes calls on their respective side. ​

Lob: A returns shot send as high and deep as possible, thereby forcing the opposing side back to the baseline.

Midcourt: The middle area on the picklecourt between the Non-Volley Zone and the ​baseline.

Non-Volley Zone: The 7 foot section of court on either side of the net. Pickleball players are not allowed to volley the ball in this zone. It includes all lines surrounding the zone. Also known as "The Kitchen" and the NVZ.

Overhead Shot: Any shot hit where the paddle starts high above your head and drives downward, similar to the motion of a tennis serve.​

Overhead Slam: powerful, overhand shot hit in a downward motion. Often performed on the return of a lob or high bounce shot.

OPA!: Sometimes shouted out after the 3rd shot has been hit, open volleying has begun. ​

Open Face: Holding the pickleball paddle tilted slightly upward.​

Paddle: The equivalent to the racket ​in racquetball or tennis. Pickleball paddles can be made of wood, composite or graphite.

Passing Shot: A volley or groundstroke shot that is aimed at a distance from the player and is designed to prevent return of the ball.

Permanent Object: Any object around the pickleball court that could interfere with the flight of the ball. Permanent objects may include walls, fences, fixtures, lights, net posts, bleachers or spectator seating, the referee, line judges, spectators themselves and all other objects around and above the court.

Pickle!: Warning shouted out by the server to alert all players on the pickleball court that they are about to serve. ​

Pickled: The equivalent to getting "skunked" in other sports, scoring zero points in a whole game. If you lose a pickleball game 11-0, you've been "pickled".​

Pickledome: Court where the championship match in a pickleball tournament is played. Something similar to center court in tennis.

Pickler: A pickleball addict. A pickleball freak who can't stop talking about the sport.

Poach: In doubles pickleball, to cross over into your partners side of the court to hit a shot.

Put Away: A shot with no chance of being returned.

Punch Shot: Quick, short volley shot with little back swing and short follow through.

Rally: Continuous play that occurs from the time the ball is served and until play ends in a fault.

Rally Score System: In the rally point system, the side that wins the rally scores the point and earns the right to serve.​

Ready Position: Ideal position to receive the ball for return. Paddle is out in front of player's body and up at chest height with a neutral grip for either forehand or backhand return. Weight is evenly balanced and weight on toes with knees slightly bent and ready to move in any direction. ​

Server Number: The number (1 or 2) indicates which server is serving for each team in the pickleball serving sequence. ​

Service Court: The area on either side of the center line, bounded by the non-volley line, the baseline, and the sideline. All lines are included in the service court except the non-volley line.

Service Out Side Scoring:​ The current scoring system used in Pickleball where you need to be serving to score points.

Shadowing: The strategy in Pickle-ball of moving in tandem with your team partner, keeping roughly 10 feet between each other. Both players move laterally, approach the net or retreat to the baseline together in sync. ​

Sideline: The lateral border of the pickleball court delimiting the playing zone from out of bounds area. ​

Side Out: Declared after one side loses its service and other side is awarded serve.

Singles: Playing pickleball with only 2 players, one player on each side. ​

Slice: A chop shot used to create back spin on the ball. ​

Smash: ​ shot that is hit above the hitter's head with a serve-like motion. It is also referred to as an overhead.

Split Stance: Position with feet separate and parallel in the "ready position" to return the ball. ​

Technical Foul: In tournament play, the referee is may add a point to a team’s score when the opponent violates one of the rules calling for a technical foul other than standard faults in play. For example abusive language or unsportsmanlike play.

Top Spin: Applying spin to the ball from low to high causing the pickleball ball to spin in the same direction as the flight of the ball. ​

Two Bounce Rule: In pickleball: after the ball is served, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning, and then the serving team must also let it bounce before returning. After the 3rd hit, the ball can be volleyed (hit midair without bouncing).

Volley: Hitting the ball in the air before the ball has a chance to bounce onto the pickleball court.

Volley Llama: Term referring to an illegal move (fault) where pickleball player hits a volley shot in the Non-Volley Zone. ​

I'm pretty sure this is the biggest list of pickleball terms out there- but lease let us know if we missed anything! If you hear and useful pickleball definitions or new jargon we don't have here, please let us know so we complete the list. ​

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